1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a universally usable tennis training device which is pertinent to the field of such targets. Normally such targets include a net means of some sort for gathering of the balls directed therethrough.
These devices may be placed adjacent to a net for targeting or may be positioned at various locations around the court or may be used without a tennis court at all but merely for targeting of ground strokes, serves or volleys.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many devices have been designed for the training of tennis players such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,510,402 patented Sept. 30, 1924 to W. Hopwood for an Appliance For Playing Games Resembling Law Tennis and; U.S. Pat. No. 3,013,801 patented Dec. 19, 1961 to O. A. Kirkconnell, Jr. on a Simulated Golf Fairway; U.S. Pat. No. 3,180,643 patented Apr. 27, 1965 to O. Kallai on a Tennis Training Apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,544 patented Feb. 16, 1971 to Andrew J. Hedrick on a Portable Tennis Instruction And Practice Board; U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,703 patented June 8, 1971 to William S. Brown on Practice Pitching Devices; U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,144 patented Sept. 17, 1974 to Elmo J. Mahoney on a Portable Projectile Return Apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,711 patented Nov. 11, 1975 to Thomas J. Zak on a Tennis Training Ball Target And Projector; U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,205 patented June 29, 1976 to David B. Schain et al. on a Tennis Serve Practice Device And Method Of Using Same; U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,271 patented Apr. 4, 1978 to Arthur Lee Martin on a Tennis Practice And Teaching Rebounder; U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,267 patented Nov. 28, 1978 to Marvon W. Bay et al. on a Collapsible Frame With Hanging Net Ball Arresting Apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,549 patented July 10, 1979 to John P. Simpson on a Tennis Serve Training and Practice Device; U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,916 patented June 10, 1980 to William R. Epply on a Tensioned Net; U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,648 patented Oct. 20, 1981 to Theodore D. Stromback on a Baseball Pitcher's Target; U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,251 patented June 26, 1981 to Anton Balaz on a Tennis Ball Rebound Practice Net; U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,941 patented Dec. 25, 1984 to Shin-Shi Shieh on a Sports Net Apparatus; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,685 patented Mar. 5, 1985 to Vanice C. Phillips et al. on a Tennis Serve Practice Device.